Search the SPREP Catalogue

31 result(s) found.

Sort by

Publication Year
Sort results by
Created
Sort results by
Updated
Sort results by

You searched for

Tags / Keywords problem definition-research
X

Share Pacific invasive species data using the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

SPREP Publications, Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

The Invasive Species Battler series has been developed to share what we have learned about common invasive species issues in the region. They are not intended to cover each issue in depth but to provide information and case-studies that can assist you to make a decision about what to do next or where to go for further information.

Will climate change impact the potential distribution of a native vine (Merremia peltata) which is behaving invasively in the Pacific region?

Available Online

Kumar, Lalit

Taylor, Subhashni

Merremia peltata is a species with uncertain status in the island nations of the Pacific region. It has been designated introduced and invasive in some countries whereas it is considered native in others. Recent increase in its abundance across some island landscapes have led to calls for its designation as an invasive species of environmental concern with biological control being suggested as a control strategy. Climate change will add to the complications of managing this species since changes in climate will influence its range limits. In this study, we develop a process-oriented niche model of M. peltata using CLIMEX to investigate the impacts of climate change on its potential distribution. Information on the climatic requirements of M. peltata and its current geographic distribution were used to calibrate the model. The results indicate that under current climate, 273,132 km2 of the land area in the region is climatically unsuitable or marginal for M. peltata whereas 664,524 km2 is suitable to highly suitable. Under current climate, areas of climatic suitability for M. peltata were identified on the archipelagos of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. By the end of the century, some archipelagos like Fiji, Hawaii, New Caledonia and Vanuatu will probably become more suitable while PNG and Solomon Islands become less suitable for M. peltata. The results can be used to inform biosecurity planning, management and conservation strategies on islands.

Invasive species baseline surveys and feasibility studies, Huvalu Forest, Niue

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

Dr. Butler, David J.

This report was prepared as one of the outputs of the GEF PAS project Prevention, eradication and control of invasive alien species in the Pacific islands funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and executed by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Niue (DAFF). It was designed to contribute to two activities in Niues programme within this project: 1. Develop and establish long term monitoring and GIS for areas with important native biodiversity that may be impacted by invasives. Huvalu Conservation Area, which is the subject of a project within the Regional Forestry and Protected Areas Management Project (FPAM), was identified as the key area for survey. 2. Conduct a pilot feasibility study for ten priority weed or vertebrate eradication targets.

Feasibility Assessment for the Removal of Pacific Rats (Rattus exulans) from Late Island

Available Online

Bonham. J

Griffiths. R.

Late is an isolated and uninhabited island located about 55 km WSW of the island of Vava'u, in the Kingdom of Tonga. Late supports a tropical broad-leaf forest ecosystem, one of the most threatened ecosystem types in the world and one of the best remaining tracts of diverse native forest in Tonga. Owing to its relatively unmodified forest communities, Late is also a global stronghold for two IUCN listed species of bird, one native mammal, and six species of reptile.

The status and impacts of Yellow Crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) on Nuutele, Aleipata islands, Samoa : final report

Available Online

Dr. Hoffmann, Ben.

Many ant species that have been accidentally spread throughout the world have significant economic, environmental and social impacts in areas that they now infest. One of the most notable invasive ants is the Yellow crazy ant, A. gracilipes, and this species is present in Samoa, including on the Aleipata islands. The Aleipata islands are considered to be of great regional conservation significance because they are uninhabited, relatively pristine, contain many species threatened throughout greater Samoa, and lack many exotic species present within greater Samoa. The presence of A. gracilipes on these islands is therefore of great conservation concern.

Assessment of Yellow Crazy Ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) on Nuulua Island, Aleipata, Samoa with recommendations for population control

Available Online

Samani

Sio, Filipo

Siolo, Susau

Vanderwoude, Cas

The Samoan islands of Nuutele and Nuulua from part of the Aleipata Marine Protected Area, in recognition of their contribution to biological diversity in Samoa. In a 1986 review of 226 islands in the South Pacific region, these islands together rated 30th in importance for biological diversity. The islands provide essential habitat for a reange of sea birds, bats and land birds such as the rare friendly ground dove, sea turtles, shell fish and other marine life. Human access to Nuutele and especially Nuulua is difficult and this has, in part facilitated the preservation of this habitat to date. In a recent field trip to Nuulua in 2003, the forest floor and vegetation appeared covered in fast moving ants which were later identified as Yellow Crazy Ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes), an invasive ant species with a pan-tropical distribution. These ants had previously not been observed on this island, and it was therefore presumed to have been a recent arrival. This report outlines an investigation of this biological invasive and provides options for managing Yellow Crazy Ants on Nuulua.

Review of invasive alien species management in the Aleipata Islands, Samoa, GEF-PAS Invasive Alien Species project/Samoa

Available Online

Serra. G

Tipamaa. F.T.

The Aleipata islands are considered to be of great regional conservation significance because they are uninhabited (with the exception of Namua), relatively pristine as forest ecosystems, hosting many species threatened throughout the greater Samoa, and still not invaded by most invasive alien species (IAS) present within Upolu main island. Due to this reason they were included in the list of the 7 key biodiversity areas of Samoa (Conservation International et al. 2010).

Targeted Research to improve invasive species management: yellow crazy ant in Samoa

Available Online

Auina. S

Hoffmann. B

Stanley. M.C.

Lack of biological knowledge of invasive species is recognised as a major factor contributing to eradication failure. Management needs to be informed by a site-specific understanding of the invasion system. Here, we describe targeted research designed to inform the potential eradication of the invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes on Nu'utele island, Samoa. First, we assessed the ant's impacts on invertebrate biodiversity by comparing invertebrate communities between infested and uninfested sites. Second, we investigated whether an association existed between A. gracilipes and carbohydrate sources. Within the infested area there were few other ants large than A. gracilipes, as well as fewer spiders and crabs, indicating that A. gracilipes is indeed a significant conservation concern. The timing of male reproduction appears to be consistent with places elsewhere in the world, but queen reproduction was outside of the known reproductive period for this species in the region, indicating that the timing of treatment regimes used elsewhere are not appropriate for Samoa. Worker abundance and nest density were among the highest recorded in the world, being greater in May than in October. These abundance and nest density data from baselines for quantifying treatment efficacy and set sampling densities for post-treatment assessments. The number of plants and insects capable of providing a carbohydrate supply to ants were greatest where A. gracilipes was present, but it is not clear if this association is causal. Regardless, indirectly controlling ant abundance by controlling carbohydrate supply appears to be promising avenue for research. The type of targeted, site-specific research such as that described here should be an integral part of any eradication program for invasive species to design knowledge-based treatment protocols and determine assessment benchmarks to achieve eradication.

Land crab interference with eradication projects: Phase I - compendium of available information.

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

Wegmann, Alex

Invasive mammal eradications are a proven, effective method of restoring damaged ecosystems and preserving biodiversity. On most tropical oceanic islands indigenous land crabs compete with targeted alien species for bait and interfere with traps and detection devices. Current eradication practices are inherited from successful termperate or subantarctic campaigns, yet we do not possess trued and tried methods for managing land crab interference. This report is the first organized attempt to address what's now commonly referred to as "the land crab problem." Accounts of land crab interference with eradication projects were sourced from an array of eradication practitioners; the resulting information was sorted into major topics and presented in tables, figures, and text. Major topics include: bait application rates, land crab and rat bait consumption, land crab behaviour, land crab interference with bait-stations, land crab deterring bait masks, and toxin exposure risk for non-target species. The summarized information in this report will guide future investigations into the land crab problem.

Malden Island, Kiribati - Feasibility of Cat Eradication for the Recovery of Seabirds

Available Online

Brown. D

Ioane. A

Kamatie, K.

Pierce. R

This study describes the biodiversity values of Malden Island, Kiribati, and assesses the potential benefits, feasibility and costs of removing key invasive species. Malden is relatively pest-free, but two significant invasive species are present - feral house cats and house mice. We believe that the most cost-effective and beneficial conservation action in the short term for Kiribati is to undertake a cat eradication programme. This would take pressure off nearly all of the 11 species of seabirds which currently breed at Malden, and allow for the natural and/or enhanced recovery of a further 5-6 species including the Phoenix Petrel (EN). This petrel and other sensitive species occur as foraging species in the seas around Malden and occasionally visit the island, where they are currently susceptible to cat predation. By removing the cats, this population "sink" effect on a number of species could be almost completely removed and the island would ultimately provide a secure breeding site for 15+ seabird species.

www.sprep.org © 2021 - 2024. All rights reserved